美国国家公共电台 NPR 12月仅增19.9万就业岗位远逊预期

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A sign seeking workers is displayed at a fast food restaurant in Portland, Ore., on Dec. 27, 2021. Jenny Kane/AP

Hiring slowed again last month as employers continued to struggle to find workers in an economy now confronting the full impact of the omicron variant¹.

U.S. employers added just 199,000 workers to payrolls³ in December, according to data from the Labor⁴ Department Friday. That was well below expectations of around 400,000 jobs created, marking a second consecutive⁵ month of disappointing employment growth.

However, there were more positive signs as well. The unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in December from 4.2% the month before, while, job gains for October and November were revised upwards⁶ by a total of 141,000.

The monthly snapshot reflects conditions about three weeks ago. Since then, there's been a spike⁷ in new coronavirus infections tied to the omicron variant, which could further weigh on job gains in the weeks to come.

"We view this as a small window between when the delta⁸ variant was fading and before the acceleration⁹ and rapid spread of the omicron variant," said Nela Richardson, chief economist¹⁰ of the payroll² processing company ADP.

Bars and restaurants added 43,000 jobs in December, while construction crews added 22,000.

Factories have also been eager to hire, despite ongoing¹¹ challenges in getting parts and raw materials. The manufacturing sector¹² added 26,000 jobs in December.

A survey of factory managers released this week suggests supply chain headaches may be easing a bit, although a new wave of pandemic illnesses could reverse those gains.

"With omicron, it's a speedbump, and we're going to have to fight through it for the next couple of months," said Tim Fiore, who compiles the survey for the Institute for Supply Management.

'The great job hop¹³'

So far, there's been little sign that the omicron surge has reduced the amount of "help wanted" signs going up across the economy.

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Employers began the month of December with a near-record number of job openings — 10.6 million — and postings on the job-search website Indeed, for example, held steady through the end of the month.

"Demand for workers, at least from the data on our platform, hasn't dropped significantly because of the recent surge in cases," said research director Nick Bunker of the Indeed Hiring Lab. "That could change fairly quickly, so it's something we'll be keeping an eye on."

Businesses have struggled to find enough workers to meet demand, with restaurants, bars and hotels seeing some of the highest turnover¹⁴. A record 4.5 million people quit their jobs in November.

Many of those who quit in recent months are not leaving the workforce¹⁵ entirely¹⁶ but taking better jobs elsewhere. As a result, Bunker said it's a mistake to describe this churn as, "the great resignation." He prefers to call it, "the great job hop."

With more job openings than available workers, employees have enjoyed newfound bargaining power to demand higher wages and better working conditions.

Bunker noted¹⁷, however, that growing concern about the omicron variant might keep some would-be workers on the sidelines, at least temporarily.

"One of the sources of hesitancy among job seekers has been continued fears about the pandemic," Bunker said. "So there's a possibility that right now, maybe for a few more weeks, there's some hesitancy of workers to return to work."

The number of people working or looking for work increased in December by 168,000, after a big gain the month before. There are still 2.1 million fewer people in the workforce now than there were in February of 2020, before the pandemic took root in the U.S.

The monthly report from the Labor Department is based on two surveys — one of businesses and the other of households. The household survey suggested stronger job gains in December, for the second month in a row.

The tight labor market could make inflation worse

The Federal Reserve is monitoring the labor market closely for any sign that rising wages will add to inflation, which is already as high as it's been in nearly four decades.

Average wages for non-supervisory workers in the private sector were 5.8% higher in December than they were a year ago. In typically low-paid industries such as leisure and hospitality, wages have risen much faster: up 15.8% over the last year.

Minutes from the Fed's most recent meeting showed policymakers were concerned that worker shortages may persist longer than than they'd previously¹⁸ expected, putting upward pressure on prices.

"Many business contacts continued to experience difficulty hiring workers across all skill levels," the minutes said. "Some participants noted that businesses were offering higher wages, larger bonuses, or more flexible work arrangements to compete for workers."

Inflation is still red hot, and it's forcing the Federal Reserve into a new game plan

ECONOMY

Inflation is still red hot, and it's forcing the Federal Reserve into a new game plan

Any sign that higher wages are feeding into inflation would be concerning for the Fed, as it could produce the kind of wage price spiral that contributed to runaway¹⁹ inflation in the 1970s.

That could force the Fed to move more aggressively in raising interest rates. A majority of Fed policymakers have already said they expect at least three-quarter percentage point rate hikes this year.

1 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

2 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。

3 payrolls   

n.（公司员工的）工资名单( payroll的名词复数 )；（公司的）工资总支出，工薪总额

参考例句：

• Indices of employment, payrolls, and production steadied in February 1931931年2月，就业、工资额和生产指数稳定。 来自辞典例句
• Wall Street responded to the payrolls figures with gusto. 华尔街对就业数据作出了积极的反应。 来自互联网

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

6 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

7 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

8 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

9 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

10 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

11 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

12 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

13 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

14 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

15 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

16 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

17 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

18 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

19 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。